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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) A. C. SGARR.

.RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

Wit?! eases (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet; 2.

' A. 0. SGARR. RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

N0. 469,066. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

' [Fifi ceases ji en (for Q, Mag/W WMM66 zz i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICABRAHAM O. SGARR, OF HARRISTON, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SCARR RAILIVAYSIGNAL COMPANY OF HARRISTON, LIMITED.

RAILWAY TIME-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,066, dated February16, 1892. Application filed March 5, 1891. Renewed January 16, 1892.Serial No. 418,243. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM CALVERT SOARR, of the Town of Harriston, inthe county of \Vellington, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, haveinvented a certain new and Improved System for OperatingRailroad-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to arrange a device or series of devicesby which semaphores or other signals on a railroad may be operated bythe wheels of an approaching train in such a manner as to give notice atany desired distance from the said train and thereby prevent collisions;and it consists, essentially, of a short rail movably held in contactwith one of the rails of the track and connected by a cable or othermeans to a semaphore or other signal located in proximity to the trackat the required distance from the signaling spot, the connectionsbetween the movable rail and its signal being such thatwhen the saidrail is pushed from the rail of the track by the wheels of a passingtrain the semaphore or other signal is .instantly operated, so as togive notice of the approaching train at a suffieient distance to avoidthe possibility of collision.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of my improvedsignaling device to a curve on a railroad. Fig. 2 is a detail showingthe means of holding the adjustable rail to the track. Fig. 3 is adetail showing the construction of the air-cushion used in connectionwith the semaphore.

It has long been known to all railroad-men, and indeed to many others,that the majority of accidental collisions could be preventedwere itpossible to provide simple and reliable mechanism by which the driversof two approaching trains might be'notified in time to stop theirtrains. This knowledge turned my attention to the subject, and aftereonsiderable study and careful consideration of the matter I havesucceeded in producing a system for operating signals which is bothsimple in construction and reliable in its operation.

In the drawings, A represents a short rail located, as indicated,against one of the rails of the track 13. A bar 0 is connected one ateach end of the rail A, which bar is fitted into a grooved plate D,rigidly secured to the tie or sleeper E.

To the end of each bar 0, I-attach a chain or cable F, which cables arecarried around suitably-arranged grooved guiding-pulleys G and areconnected together or to a single cable H. This cable H is suitablysupported and carried to a semaphore or other signal located inproximity to the track at a point sufficiently far from thesignaling-point to notify the driver of a train approaching from theopposite direction to enable him to stop his train in time to avoidcollision with a train which in passing over the rail A has operated thesemaphore or signal in the following manner: It will be observed thatthe cable H is connected toan arm I, attached to the rod J, on which thesignal-lamp K is fixed. To this arm' I a cable L is also attached, and,after being carried over suitably-arranged grooved pulleys M, isconnected to the tail of the pivoted semaphore-arm N. When the trainbefore referred to passes over the rail A, the flanges of its wheelspass between the rail A and the rail of the track B, against which it isheld by a weight or spring. In passing between these rails the flangesof the wheels push the rail A inwardly, and'as this rail is eonnected,asbefore described, by suitably-arranged cables to the lamp-rod J and thesemaphore-arm N the said arm is thrown up to signal danger, and the redlight of the lamp is likewise set, thus giving the desired notice to anytrain which may be approaching from the opposite direction.

As it is desirable that the semaphore and danger-signal should remainset to dangerpoint for a short time after the train has passed the railA, I provide the following simple device, by which the desired end isaccomplished: A small cylinder 0 is pivoted upon a bracket P, fixed tothe semaphore post Q so as to oscillate, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 3. A piston is fitted into this cylinder, and is connected by thepiston-rod R to the tail of the semaphore-arm N. When this semaphore-armis raised, as before described, the piston in the cylinder 0 is pusheddown, and through a valve in the piston, or other- ICO wise, a supply ofair is admitted above the said. piston. When the trainhas passed therail A, the weight or spring draws the said rail into its initialposition, thereby slackening the cables which connect it to thesemaphore-arm, leaving the said arm free to fall by its own Weight. Asit is not desirable that thisfall should be instantaneous, the devicejust described is provided. Thefallingof the semaphore-arm N of coursethrows its tail up,which, being connected, as described, to thepiston'in the cylinder 0, is held by the said piston,which cushionsagainst the air above it and will not permit the semaphore to fall untilall the air above the piston has been pressed out of the cylinder. VViththe View of regulating the time in which. the semaphore should fall Iplace in. the. top of the cylinder 0 an aircock S, by which the size oftheiaperture. in. the cylinder through which; the. air escapes maybeincreased or decreased. to let the air 'out of the cylinder slowly orquickly, according to the time in which it is'desired that the semaphoreshould taliein falling.

It will of course be understood that I do. not. confine myself to theexact position: shown for theair-cushioning cylinder, and I may add thatthe lamp-rod J may also be provided with similar means for preventingitchanging iissignal too quickly.

It will beobserved in. the drawings that at the center of the curve I.show two semaphores locatedtogether. The signaling-points are locatedoneach side otthesesemaphores atthelreqnired distance from them. Atrain; approaching from one side operates one of' the semaphores,.whi1ea. train approaching; from. the other side operates the other signal.Should both-trains pass, their respective sig nali'ngpointssimultaneously, both signals:

- will lbe operated and both driverswill. be simultaneouslynotified thatthey are. in clangerous proximity to a train approaching. from theoppo'site. direction.

Itwill ofcourse. be understood that I do"v not confine myself to anyparticular number of signals nor to their exact location,,as of' coursethey may be located at all dangerousprobably be found sufficient, inwhich case the said rail may be made so short as to be considered simplya. block. I therefore do not'wish to be confined by the term rail, as itis not necessary that it should be made the exact shape of a rail.

What I claim as. my invention is 1. The rail. B, a supplementalraib A,havingbars-O conneetedto it. at its'opposite ends and resting in. thegrooved plates D,said. bars O and plates D being arranged under'ra-il:B,

and: the weighted pivoted. lever L, arranged to hold the said rail.against OneOfi therails ot the track 13, in combination with. a chain orcable connected. to the said barsO and. to

the lamp-rod J- and. semaphore-arm N,,substantially as and for. thepurpose specified.

2. A pivoted semaphore-arm N and: assup- :port for the same, incombination with: an oscillatingcylinder 0,, pivoted on abracket'P,Iattached tothe semaphore-supportland pro- ,vided. with. a piston and a.piston-rod It, connected directly to the\ said semaphore-arm,

substantially asand for thepurpose-specified. 3; A pivotedsemaphore-armN and a; support for the same,- in combinations with: an oscillating.cylinder O,-h2rvi.ng a.- coc'k sand pivoted on a. bracket P,.attached.to-th'esemaphore-support-and provided with apistomand Ia piston-rodR,.conne.cted directly to'sthesaid semaphore-arm, all substantially asshown and described.

Toronto, January 31, 1891.

ABRAHAM C; SCARR.

In presence of- I CHARLES C. BALDWIN, JOHN E. CAMERON. a

